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Category: Deep Creek

While Mother Nature hasn’t quite made up her mind lately on whether we should have spring or winter weather here in our mountainous region, we are still encouraging our guests to visit and take advantage of some of the awesome out of season discounts we are offering right now!

Newly constructed and new to the vacation rental market, our home Man Haus is offering 15% off any stay from now through June 25th! This is truly a luxury log home that boasts all of the amenities one needs for a fabulous Deep Creek getaway. Gleaming hardwood floors, an impressive stone fireplace, a state of the art gourmet kitchen, and elegant furnishings are just some of the highlights this home offers. Add in the level lakefront with a private dock, Air Conditioning, steaming outdoor hot tub and more guarantees that you and your family will experience a relaxing stay. Call 1-866-351-1119 to find out more about this special offer!

In other Taylor-Made news, we recently held our annual Soup Cook Off. Going on our 6th year, this is a fun activity where we invite all of our employees to test their culinary skills by creating a favorite soup to be shared by all. We then have our “Celebrity Judges” choose their top three winners with the Grand Prize winner receiving a Telli’s Deli gift basket filled with goodies! Winners of this year’s contest were the following~ 1st Place Jason Nuce, 2nd Place Chris Rodeheaver, 3rd Place Laurra McClean, and People’s Choice Joe Refosco. A great time was had by all and we thank all of our employees that participated and the judges who took time to stop by and help out. It’s time to plan your Deep Creek stay, we can’t wait to see you at the lake!

Warmer temperatures up here on the mountain this past week have been a pleasant surprise and are starting to entice the longing for true spring to arrive! Hard to believe that we are quickly approaching St. Patrick’s Day, Spring Breaks, and of course the “Springing Ahead” with the time this weekend.

We are so excited that our kids and many of the kids in the surrounding cities and up and down the East Coast will get to enjoy a few extra days off for either Easter, Spring Break, or both this year. Although Jonas heaped a pile of snow on us, we had less snowfall this year than normal, hence less makeup snow days. If you haven’t made your family plans, you should definitely consider a Deep Creek Lake weekend getaways.

Are you wondering what there is do at Deep Creek Lake in the spring? First, it’s the perfect time to get back outside, embrace Mother Nature, and explore our many state parks. Swallow Falls State Park is always a favorite choice and the #1 recommended “Must See” spots in Garrett County as it houses numerous waterfalls and nice walking trails. However, Deep Creek State Park and Herrington Manor also have nice hiking and mountain biking trails.

Wisp Resort is still offering some skiing options as well as the snow tubing park, ice skating rink, and the mountain coaster! All of which are enjoyable for kids of all ages as well as adults. Smiley’s Fun Zone has an awesome indoor arcade which includes laser tag, bowling, and a variety of arcade type games. They also offer Smiley’s Fun Value Cards which gives you bonus cash which can be used to save on food and the arcade.

Of course, there is also the many different shopping and dining establishments that we encourage you to patronage but we also do our best to find you the perfect vacation home so you have plenty to do whether you choose to head out and seek adventure or spend a casual afternoon at home bonding with friends and family.

We are currently offering some fantastic last minute specials and have even put together a “Family Fun Spring Package”! For only $85, this package includes a free night’s stay (3 day minimum), a free Early Check In or Late Check Out (a $35 value), 4 movie tickets, 4 CARC passes to our local Aquatic Center, and a $25 Cash card to Smiley’s with $25 Bonus cash added on! A fantastic deal that gives you and your family plenty of options of fun activities to do while visiting us here at Deep Creek Lake! Our location in Western Maryland makes us an easy destination for weekend getaways near Pittsburgh or the Baltimore/Washington, DC area.

Garrett County and most of the East Coast got a large dose of snow last weekend thanks to winter storm Jonas. This, of course, was awesome for Wisp Resort and for the skiing fanatics. Currently they have 28 trails open and fresh snow is coming down as I type this. Basically it’s a perfect time to plan an impromptu ski trip with your friends and family. We’re offering some amazing last minute discounts on some of our vacation rentals.

One of our most popular homes, American Pride, is now offering over $150 off this weekend’s stay. Located in the prestigious community of Blakeslee, this home offers all of the comforts of home and more! The Great Room is extremely inviting with plush leather sofas, a large flat screen TV, and a cozy gas fireplace. For those that have a passion for cooking, the gourmet kitchen offers stainless steel appliances, gorgeous granite countertops and is fully stocked with everything you need whether you are creating a large feast or just a simple lunch. Downstairs in the Family Room, you and your guests can engage in a fun game of pool or just watch movies on the flat screen TV. Of course if you are spending the day at Wisp skiing or snow tubing, you have the luxury of knowing that the outdoor bubbling hot tub is waiting when you get home. Another great perk to this home is that guests have use of the community indoor swimming pool. It’s quite large and is a perfect way for the family to spend a lazy afternoon. American Pride is definitely one of Deep Creek’s premiere vacation homes and one that many of our guests return to time and time again. Again this weekend we are offering a huge discount so I highly recommend that you take advantage of this amazing deal!

Stunning Winter Sunset over Deep Creek Lake!

On another note and just a reminder that the annual MSP/NRP Deep Creek Dunk is on February 20th and it’s easily one of our most popular festivals! Not only is it for a wonderful cause (it benefits Maryland’s children and adults with intellectual disabilities, as they enjoy the life-changing benefits of participating with Special Olympics Maryland) but it’s become a winter time tradition for many. That and it’s a lot of fun. Even for those choose not to dunk, it’s highly amusing seeing some of the extremely elaborate costumes that people come with and the facial expressions of those when they hit the water is priceless! If you haven’t made plans to attend the 2016 Deep Creek Dunk, give us a call (1-866-351-1119 or online www.deepcreekvacations.com) and we will happily help you find the perfect vacation home for you and your guests. We can’t wait to see you at the lake!

After much anticipation, Deep Creek Lake winter weather has arrived! Wisp Resort is getting ready to operate on full gear very soon.

Currently there are 8 trails open including the snow tubing park, mountain coaster and ice skating rink so now is the ideal time to visit Deep Creek Lake.

For those that like to try something a little different, snow shoeing is also another adventurous activity to try while you are in the area. All Earth Eco Tours does some amazing tours throughout the Swallow Falls State Park area and is the perfect activity for the whole family (As one who is well known to be Adventure Challenged, i.e. clumsy, even I can say that I can accomplish this and I loved it!)

There are also various places to go cross country skiing around the area so don’t forget to ask about some of our favorite places to go when you call in! It’s always so surprising that we still get asked “What things are there to do at Deep Creek?” when we always answer “Everything!” Offering lots of terrific last minute specials on our Deep Creek Lake rentals, our Reservationists are ready to help you find the perfect home for your winter getaway! Give our office a call today (1-866-351-1119 or online at www.deepcreekvacations.com)

If you haven’t made plans yet, don’t forget that the 18th Annual MSP/NRP Deep Creek Dunk is coming up on February 20th. What has truly become a true Deep Creek Lake tradition for many, it is also a wonderful opportunity to help adults and children with special disabilities so that they may experience the joy of participating in the Maryland Special Olympics! Granted taking on the frigid waters of Deep Creek is no easy task but great fun is had by all and the costumes and outfits that you get to see is so worth it! Kiss, Pee Wee Herman, and Teen Wolf are just some of the many creative people you get see run in the water! Again, all for a great cause. Do you dare to dunk?

Again, you must call us here at Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations and let us help you find the home that fits your needs! The Snow is here! We can’t wait to see you at the lake! #deepcreeklake #skiwisp #daretodunk

We are sailing into fall and are now starting to see the first changing of the leaves. This weekend is the big SavageMan Triathlon where athletes flock to our mountainous area to tackle our hills with their bikes, swim in Deep Creek and race down our roads! Definitely a competitive sport and one that is intense to watch! Of course we welcome these athletes and their families with open arms! We love that they can participate in such a great charitable event and experience the beauty of our area at the same time. We are also being gifted with dream like weather this week with bright blue skies and lots of sunshine. Temperatures have been ideal and in the mid-70s. This is also the perfect time for evening bonfires. Many of our vacation rentals have outdoor fire pits so if you are planning on visiting us, make sure you let your Reservationist know this so she can help you find one with this particular amenity. Call us at 1-866-351-1119 or go online www.deepcreekvacations.com and click this option when you are putting in your requirements for your search. Speaking of going online, have you checked our newly launched website. As before, it is very user friendly but also has a fresh new look. Not only is it easy to search for a home with your certain criteria but you also see our vacation packages, check out our photo gallery, read our policies and procedures and more. You can also easily navigate over to our Real Estate section for those that are thinking of buying or listing a home. As I continue to somewhat boast, there is also a very thorough and informative 3D virtual floor plan that we now offer for our homes (not all have one right now but they all will in the near future). This is a great tool to have when you trying to see if a house would work out for you and your family. You can go in and maneuver throughout the rooms and floors, perfect for trying to decide who may be sleeping where. I highly recommend you check out (plus it’s kind of fun!)
The Autumn Glory Festival will be here shortly. The entire festival kicks off on Wednesday October 7th and the big parade held in Oakland is Saturday the 10th. There are so many fun filled family activities to do that weekend! By tradition if you do join in the celebration, don’t forget to pick up your turkey dinner. There are numerous dining establishments in the area who join in with awesome local tradition and offer a full turkey dinner with all of the trimmings! Again, give us a call and let us help you find your Deep Creek home! We can’t wait to see you at the lake!

If you haven’t already made plans to attend the annual Deep Creek Art & Wine Festival this upcoming weekend (September 11-13th), it’s not to late! Gather the girlfriends or make it a couples retreat & come visit for a weekend full of fun activities.On Friday evening, many of our local dining establishments have planned special wine pairing menus so you can start enjoying the festivities when you arrive. The Wine Festival on Saturday begins at 12 noon and goes to 6 pm while the wine store will continue to stay open until 7 pm. Activities run throughout the day and feature everything from live entertainment, carriage rides, a photo booth and more. Of course there is the reason you came to the festival; the art & wine. Over 30 local artists will be present selling a variety of items like pottery, oil paintings, jewelry, wood carvings and more. Also there will be National Distributors and Maryland wineries there to offer samplings of over 200 different kinds of wine. Definitely something for everyone’s different tastes. The food fare is another great reason to attend. There will be many food artisans there so you can grab a bite while at the festival or choose to take some home with you like Firefly Farms amazing goat cheese or fresh produce and products from Deberry’s Farm. The very best part of the festival? The proceeds go to HART which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving the lives of homeless pets in Garrett County. A huge win-win for everyone! We are now offering last minute discount on all available vacation rental homes so now is the perfect time to call us! A fun packed weekend enjoyed art and wine with your friends or another weekend of doing nothing! Make it Count! We can’t wait to see you at the lake!

Spoiled is essentially the best way to describe those that are visiting Deep Creek today and this weekend as the weather is near perfect with bright blue skies and lots of sunshine. I’m pretty sure that people think that I must be exaggerating this but it’s true. I think that since Mother Nature gives us such a long winter season, generally, that in order to balance it out, there must be postcard picture perfect ones in the warmer months! Tomorrow starts the 59thannual Garrett County Agricultural Fair held here at the fairgrounds in McHenry. If you are lucky enough to be visiting us this week then I highly suggest you put this on your list of things to do! If you have ever had the opportunity to visit an old fashioned agricultural fair then you know how much fun it can be for the whole family! Starting off with rides for the wee ones, there is usually a little toddler size roller coaster, Ferris wheel, spinning tee-cups, speed cars, and more! As they grow out of those, they move up to some of the larger rides such as the Scrambler,a ride known for squishing those that are unlucky enough to pick the wrong side to ride on as it whips you around in a frenzy. The Swings, which swoop you out and about, overlooking the crowd below you! Finally, you have graduated to the Big rides where you may meet The Zipper, a crazy looking contraption known for hurling you through the air at high rates of speed while turning you in a hundred circles until you feel completely nauseous! The Perks and sense of adventure of Fair Rides! Not for you? Then the food is as good of a reason to go as any! Fresh cut and made Rotary French Fries are a must if visiting our fair. With ketchup or vinegar, they absolutely delicious and well worth the calories! Candy apples, hamburgers, pizza, cotton candy, the list is long and worth trying one of each! Funnel Cakes! I almost forgot about the awesome Funnel Cake, varies in size and flavor, and sinfully good! Entertainment? Well, I always like to lose my money by trying to win some ridiculously large and often distorted stuffed animal by throwing a basketball in a teacup or squirting a water gun blaster into the mouth of an alligator.

Yummy…..

Gorgeous Sunflower Field in McHenry!

Don’t forget The Derby! Highly popular, cars and drivers compete by smashing into each other until only one last car remains running. It seems rather silly but is actually quite exciting and a fun event to attend. There is also a great variety of entertainment, usually a musical act or a singing group that performs on a main stage. Don’t forget the barns full of livestock! Cattle, pigs, chickens, bunnies and then several barns full of people entries for their crafts, pictures, flowers, and much more! Take a day or evening and bring the family to the fair! Ride lots of rides, eat food that is not good for you (but worth every bite!) play silly games and just enjoy the atmosphere! It starts tomorrow August 1st and goes until the following Saturday so you have plenty of days to check it out.Still haven’t made your plans to visit Deep Creek Lake this summer? I really don’t know what you are waiting for? Almost all homes are now offering partial week stays which is ideal for those that can’t get a full week off of work but still want to take a relaxing vacation, if at least for several days! For those that are trying to stay within a budget, townhomes and lake access homes generally rent for less but you may still have the lake just a short stroll or drive away. Give us a call here at Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales (1-866-351-1119 or go online www.deepcreekvacations.com) and let us help you plan your Deep Creek getaway.

Today is one of those days at Deep Creek that look like it could come straight from a postcard. Bright blue skies and lake sparkle against the lush mountainside, truly a breathtaking sight. Watching so many people having such a fun time, whether they are speeding along on a speed boat, hitting the waves on a jet ski, or taking the family tour on a pontoon boats, the squeals of joy and laughter are ringing loudly across the lake! For those that may be wandering if there are any activities to do that are not on the lake and the answer is “Of Course”! One place I love to suggest to families is to head over to Wisp’s Adventure Park. Generally when we speak of Wisp, we think of the mountains heaped in snow as people take on the ski and snowboarding trails but in the warmer months, Wisp offers a large variety of activities for all ages. For the young kids, the Chipmunk Challenge Course is a must try! This canopy tour is designed to test your kid’s prowess and athletic abilities while having at a blast at the same time. Participants are suited up with a harness, helmet, and are given the needed safety instructions. They then begin to maneuver the course which consists of everything from a Spider Net that must be crossed to a Tarzan Vine Rope. Each task requires the participant to pay close attention to their surroundings while using precision in balancing. They finally finish with the final zipline which sends them plummeting down 200 feet of cable. While the kids may not take in as much of the scenery, they do get to witness some of the most breathtaking views of the McHenry Cove when perched on top of the course. A fun activity that the kids will talk about for months afterwards and parents get some fantastic photo and video ops as well! While there are many more things to do at Wisp (golfing, disc golf, mountain biking, etc) this particular activity is perfect for kids 4 years and up that weigh at least 40 pounds.

If you have not made your summer plans to come and visit us here at Deep Creek, now is the time to do so! We have opened all homes up for partial week stays in July, ideal for those that are not able to get a full week off of work but still deserve a relaxing getaway. Give us a call here at Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales (1-866-351-1119 or online www.deepcreekvacations.com ) and let us help you find your families vacation dream home! We can’t wait to see you at the lake! #deepcreeklake #DCLlakelife #DCLvacationrentals

As the sun continued to dance through the clouds, my need to escape the office and enjoy it become a possibility today when I had to make a stop at Schoolhouse Earth to pick up some flyers for our office. Enjoy the sun and get to go to one of my all-time favorite shops in our area? I love the perks of my job! Even pulling into the parking area, you can see that there is a large array of lawn ornaments on display outside. I am a true sucker for outdoor décor including flags, wind chimes, you name it! (And yes, even garden gnomes!) Here you will a large variety to choose from. With 3 separate buildings, it feels like a bit of a magical village! I head to the first building and I am lost in shopping heaven! So many jewelry choices! Big loud bold necklaces or dainty little birthstone chains, rings, earrings, something for everyone’s taste! Walking in further and here you will find a variety of beautiful scarves and purses! Completing this circle I find a wall of candles to choose from! It’s like finding all of my favorite things in this one little spot! I basically just walked in a daze throughout all of the buildings simply in awe over how many things I saw that I suddenly desperately felt that I needed and must have immediately! The building to the right was another delight! Here you could find an expansive collection whether you were looking for some home décor such as curtains or specialty dishes for your kitchen collection. Speaking of which, for those Foodies out there, they have an amazing collection of specialty dips, mustards, crackers, etc. Also for the wine lovers, they have a fun and unique array of wall plaques, wine glasses, wine glass accessories (these apparently are quite popular), and more! For the kids section, they have a great collection of games, puzzles, books, and toys to choose from! I try to think of myself as a grown up but I saw A lot of kid’s items that I was ready to rip open and play with! So many cool things to choose from!

Your fun continues to flow outside when you walk to the back area of the shops to see the little petting/feeding area. While they do have a few alpacas and a donkey on site, they chose to stay back and just do their own thing. I did however, get to witness Spencer, the Rooster as he strutted about. Charlie Brown the goat also came by to say Hi! Both seemed more concerned with the fresh watermelon rine they had been given just a few minutes prior to be completely honest but it was nice that they were willing to swagger by.

Schoolhouse Earth is not just an average stop that you come across, it’s an entire shopping experience. It’s the kind of specialty shop that you go to and are able to find that one perfect gift that you know will make your best friend’s day. It’s a neat place where the cashiers are pleasant and helpful and you just know that they really like their job. If you are lucky enough to meet Stephen, the owner, he will happily guide you around and help you find exactly what you are looking for! We always believe it is important to support our local shops but we also recommend Schoolhouse Earth because it truly is one of our favorite shops around Deep Creek Lake and we want you to experience the best while you are here!

There is still time to find your dream vacation home rental for your summer stay here at Deep Creek Lake. Give us a call (1-866-351-1119 or online www.deepcreekvacations.com) and let us help you! We can’t wait to see you at the lake! #deepcreeklake #vacationrentals #lakelife #shoptillyoudrop

Yesterday was Earth Day. Mother Nature played a little surprise trick on us by decorating our mountain tops with some fresh fluffy snow. Just another part of the adventure of mountain living! Speaking of which, our spring generally comes a little later than most places but the reawakening has started and we are so excited. Buds are forming on trees, the grass is getting darker and brighter, and the wildlife is starting to come out and play! Now is the perfect time to get away for the weekend and come to Deep Creek to play. Our local golf courses are open and Wisp is still running the mountain coaster (a single ride coaster that winds down the mountain and you can control the speed. So much fun and a Must-Try!) Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales is offering some fabulous last minute discounts! Give us a call and let us help you find that perfect vacation home for you and your family (1-800-851-1119 or online www.deepcreekvacatons.com). Today marks an important day in the Taylor-Made world as we held our 5thAnnual Company Soup Cook Off! This is where we call on all Taylor-Made employees to show off their culinary skills by bringing in their favorite soup in an attempt to win the coveted title of Soup Cook Off Champ! Over the years, we have seen many different soups from Jambalayas, Seafood Bisques, Veggie, Chili, etc. Basically if it can be made in soup form, it was at some point entered into the contest. The one conclusion we come to each year is this: our employees have some mad cooking skills! Each year we pick our “Celebrity Deep Creek Judges” who are responsible for judging each soup and rating them accordingly. They must then get together and judge who the real winner is going to be. Not an easy task for any man, I can assure you of that. This year our grand prize when to Chris R in Reservations for her entry of Creamy Crab Soup. This was followed up with 2nd prize to Rita in Accounting for Potato Bacon & Tied for third, Jason and Heather from Housekeeping/ Laundry with their soup entries of Mexican Tortilla and White Chicken Chili!

Winners!

It’s also just a fun way to take time away from the usual hustle and bustle of a daily schedule to mix and mingle with coworkers. We love it when all of our departments can take a short time out to get together and enjoy each other’s company. (Throw in yummy food and it’s a win-win for everyone!) A great deal of fun was had by all and a huge thank you to all who participated, both by entering and judging!)

Signs of Spring!

Have we mentioned that now is the ideal time to plan a short getaway? So close to Pittsburgh, Washington D.C. & the surrounding areas, why not just take advantage of some awesome deals, pack up the car, & in just a few short hours spend an amazing weekend resting and relaxing with your favorite people! We can’t wait to see you at the lake! #deepcreeklake #taylormadevacatonrentals #springfling